


Happy Anniversary

by Tyira



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-24
Updated: 2014-04-24
Packaged: 2018-01-20 16:38:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1517639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tyira/pseuds/Tyira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Tony has angst the day they open Avengers Tower.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Anniversary

Tony slides his finger through the air, rotating the rough holographic model of his new suit. He bites his lip and commands that JARVIS add an adjustment to the shoulders to add more missiles.  
  
Three slow, soft knocks come from the glass door behind him. "Steve," he murmurs. JARVIS opens the door.  
  
"This big ugly building hasn't even been officially finished two hours and you're working."  
  
"Mm," Tony grunts.  
  
Steve sits heavily in the chair behind Tony's desk. "You know they're celebrating," he says with disbelief, folding his arms behind his head and leaning back.  
  
Again Tony grunts.  
  
"They're _drinking_."  
  
"No wonder you're down here," Tony mutters.  
  
"Hey, I drink."  
  
"But you can't get drunk. So what's the point?" Tony stretches and pulls a chair up beside Steve. "That's why you're here."  
  
"I'm here because there's a disturbing lack of Stark upstairs."  
  
"I have work to do." His finger flicks once and a robot is at his shoulder at once, holding a bottle of scotch and a glass.  Tony fills it and lifts it to his lips.  
  
"But they're _partying_ ," Steve presses.  
  
Tony doesn't respond. Steve's white shirt inches closer to Tony's black tank. "What's the matter with you?" he asks Tony. His tone is gentler than it had been. He leans over to be on the same level as the bent-over Stark.  
  
Tony takes a drink. After another moment, he takes a deep breath. "I didn't open the tower on this day for no reason." He swallows that last word with a drink. Steve doesn't speak, but waits for elaboration. "This is the day it all started."  
  
"When you were..." Tony cuts Steve off with a sharp nod. He refills his glass.  
  
"So I'm not interested. Not tonight."  
  
The soft pad of bare feet can be heard coming down the stairs. The door is open even before the feet touch the bottom step. Tony sighs, not even having to look up to know who it is.  
  
The soft fingers lift his chin. He avoids her eyes. She knows what day it is. Steve is up in an instant, getting another chair for her. She sits. Three pairs of bare feet now rest on the concrete of Tony's workroom.  
  
"Why don't you drown your sorrows with other people?" Pepper asks softly.  
  
"It's their party." Tony drinks again.  
  
"It's _your_ party. You're the billionaire that built this place! Take some credit, for God's sake!" She slides the glass across the desk so he'll stop drinking. Steve catches it deftly before it hurtles over the edge.  
  
Tony shuts his eyes in what could be considered irritation. "I am not interested in having a heart-to-heart. With either of you." As he stands, they rise with him, watching helplessly as he returns his chair and goes back to examining his model.  
  
"Do we leave him to it or do something about this?" Steve asks quietly.  
  
"I'm not leaving. I am going to sit right here until he's talkative." This Pepper says loud enough for Tony to hear. Both she and Steve return to their chairs and watch Tony.  
  
The hushed click of shoes follow next, a slow, constant gait.  Bruce nods to both of the seated occupants in the room before walking over to Tony.  
  
"You too?"  
  
Bruce doesn't respond, but points at the boots of the model. "If you curve them more like this, they'll be more aerodynamic."  
  
Tony narrows his eyes at Bruce. He responds with an equally intense, if calmer, gaze. Finally Stark relents. "I'd thought of that, but if I do, I won't be able to walk as fast. And it's hard enough as it is."  
  
They launch into a casual disagreement. It's only half-hearted on Tony's side.  
  
The concerned line of Steve's mouth widens into a small smile. He exchanges a glance with Pepper. She's smiling too.  
  
Heavy footsteps, loud and strong, follow. Even the Asgardian is getting a bit tipsy as shown by the near-stumble at the bottom step. "Mr. Stark!" Thor declares, banging on the glass door.  
  
"I swear to God, if he breaks that damn door--"  
  
"JARVIS, open up," Pepper says.  
  
A small click is heard as the door unlocks. It glides open, letting the god of thunder enter the workroom. "Tony, we have been missing you! You are usually my drinking partner on nights such as this!"  
  
"Usually. If you're going to stay, for God's sake, sit down and shut up." Tony glares at Steve and Pepper as if they convinced everyone to come down and annoy him. A tiny snicker escapes Steve's lips.  
  
It doesn't take long before another pair of shoes start to walk down. Then there is a sound as though someone has fallen down the stairs. The click of high heels follows a groan from whomever had tripped. Using the process of elimination, each person could assume that Clint had taken the spill. There's only one person left, so they also know the owner of the high heels.  
  
Natasha clicks down the steps, half-dragging the wasted Clint down the stairs. JARVIS, for the last time that night, opens the door and lets both in. Thor brings two chairs to the two agents. Natasha drops Clint into one--he promptly slides out--and collapses into the other herself.  
  
"He's such a lightweight," she complains, eyes closed. Thor laughs and lifts Clint back into the chair.  
  
Bruce and Tony step back to look over their improved model. "Wait, for the mask, should we..."  
  
"Looks like he's not partying alone anymore," Steve says with a smile, leaning back.  
  
"He's an idiot," Pepper says.  
  
"I knew that one," Rogers agrees. He picks the glass up off the desk and returns it to Tony.  
  
All seven beds are empty that night, each occupant either in a chair or on the floor of the workroom.  
  
Tony wakes in the night, but finds he has no desire to leave.


End file.
